Air conditioning unit

ABSTRACT

An easily assembled air condition unit for attaching to an air distribution conduit comprising an air proof tubular member, a throttling member fitted into one end thereof, an air distributor member fitted at the other end, and a heater attached to the distributor member, the components being formed in such a manner that they are easily assembled and form a guide for fitting to a collar at the distribution conduit, a carrier extending therefrom passing through the unit and being provided with means for retaining the unit at the conduit.

United States Patent 1191 Johan'sson Sept. 10, 1974 [54] AIR CONDITIONING UNIT 2,875,316 2/1959 Ford et al. 219/374 x 1 Inventor 9m Waldemar 10999999199999 3122;??? ll E3222:ijijjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiijj:1:33;: 335283 Sweden 3,699,87l 10/1972 Larl feldt 98/40 0 Assigneez Tiem Incorporated AB, Stockholm, 3,714,884 2/1973 Chnstlansen 98/40 D S d we en Primary Examiner-Albert W. Davis, Jr, Flledl 1972 Assistant ExaminerS. J. Richter [21] Appl. No.: 304,304 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 165/54, 98/40 D, 165/56, 1

219/374 An easlly assembled arr cond|t1on un1t for attachmg to [51] Int Cl F24h 3/02 an air distribution conduit comprising an air proof tu- [58] Fieid l 4 40 bular member, a throttling member fitted into one end B74 163/56 thereof, an air distributor member fitted at the other end, and a heater attached to the distributor member, 159 tizy sxriszztzmsmassistants; UNITED STATES PATENTS to a collar at the distribution conduit, a carrier extend- 2,363,839 11/1944 Demuth 98/40 D X ing therefrom passing through the unit and being pro- 2166l463 12/1953 xufek 98/40 D X vided with means for retaining the unit at the conduit. 2,677,749 5 1954 Ralder 165/56 x 2,868,102 1/1959 Melgaaro 98/114 x 1 Claun, 4 Drawing Figures AIR CONDITIONINGUNIT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention refers to an air conditioning unit for attaching to an air distribution conduit provided with branch openings, each surrounded by. a collar, theunit including a. throttling device, a heat exchanger and an air distributor member.

' A common way of handling the air supplied to different parts of a building is to provide a centrally located air conditioning unit and to extend distributing conduits therefrom. With such a system, it is difficult to obtain an individual regulation of the conditions within various parts of the building.

Individual conditioning units for each room, or space have been proposed,'but such units have been complicated and expensive, and they do not meet the demands for easy mounting or dismounting as well as cleaning. On many occasions it is difficult to accurately calculate the amount of heat required at each part of a building served by an air conditioning plant, and changes in the disposition of the building call for variations in the heat distribution after the installation has been finished.

It is therefore desirable to be able to provide each room or space within a building with an easily exchangable unit, which may be substituted by another of higher or lower capacity. Also for repair purposes it is advantageous if a unit may be rapidly removed and a new one be fitted immediately. A further requirement is that the unit be of a compact design and easily fitted into limited spaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention an air conditioning unit comprises an air proof tubular member, means for mounting the silencer within one end of the tubular memberin such a manner that a recess mating with a collar at the air distribution conduit is formed, means for fitting one part of the air distributor member within the opposite end of the tubular member with a further part of the distributor member extending radially outside the adjacent end portion of the tubular member, means for attaching the heat exchanger to said air distributor member, and further means comprising a yoke to be fitted into the air distribution conduit and at least one carrier attached thereto for detachable connection BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 shows a cross sectional view through an air distribution conduit with an air conditioning unit attached thereto.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of area A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of area B of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of area C of FIG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An air distribution conduit of aventilation plant for a building is denoted by 10. This conduit is fitted below the roof of the building and is encased by an insulating cover 11. The conduit is provided with branch openings 12 at suitable positions. Each opening is surrounded by a collar 13 to which an air conditioning unit of the invention is to be fitted.

The air conditioning unit comprises a perforated tubular member 14, the internal diameter of which slightly exceeds the external diameter of collar 13 in such a manner, that the member may be fitted onto the collar. The tubular member 14 partly extends into a false roof fitted between the roof proper and comprising a number of panels 15 supported in any suitable manner (not shown). This false roof is provided with openings for air distribution units 16 at positions corresponding to the branch openings of the distribution conduit. The air distributor member 16 is funnel shaped and is downwardly defined by a removable grille 17 through which the air passes out into the room below. The removable connection between the grille l7 and member 16 is asshown more clearly in FIG. 4. Upon removal of the grille the interior of the unit is available for cleaning, service and basically for mounting and dismounting.

The tubular member 14 is here surrounded by a sound absorbing, externally air tight cover 18, however the member 14 can itself be formed from a homogenous sound absorbing material of sufficient tightness to make the member air proof.

The enlarged part of the funnel like distributor member 16 extends radially outside the adjacent end of the tubular member 14, and thus carries the latter. A heat exchanger 20 is securely, but detachably mounted within the distributor member, the mounting connection therebetween as shown in enlarged view for clarity in FIG. 3. The end thereof remote from the grille is collar shaped and fits easily into the lower end of the tubular member as shown in FIG. 3.

The heat exchanger 20 is in the present embodiment an electric heater, which by a cable 21 having a connector 22 may be connected to an electric circuitry fitted above the false roof l5 and having means for regulating the distribution of electric current. The space within the unit permits the use of heaters of different capacities.

A throttling device 23 is fitted within the upper part of the tubular member. This device consists of an outer shell enclosing a body forming a number of parallel passages. When passing through these passages the velocity of the air will be reduced, while simultaneously an even distribution of the air over the full cross sectional area of the tubular member is ensured.

The shell of the throttling device has a much smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the tubular member, so that an annular recess mating with the collar of the distribution conduit will be formed. An external, peripheral flange or torus is formed on the shell in order to obtain a tight fit between the throttling device and the tubular member, below the recess. The tubular member may be provided with a recess or other means (not shown) for cooperation with the flange to locate the throttling device by snap action.

The complete unit is carried by conduit by means of a device comprising a carrier rod 24, the upper end of which is provided with a head 25, running in an elongated slot 26 in a'yoke 27. An enlarged drawing showing the connection between the head of rod 24 and the slot 26 is shown in FIG. 2 for clarity. The ends 28 of the yoke are bent to match the shape of the internal wall of the conduit, and due to the elongated slot which allows the rod 24 to articulate therein, the cross like upper part of the carrying device may be fitted into the conduit ahead of the unit. The rod has sufficient length in mounted position to extend its threaded lower end 29 past the heater 20. The latter as well as the throttling device 23 is each provided with a passage for the'carrier rod, the passage through the heater terminating in a shoulder for supporting a wing nut 31 byway of a washer 30.

The carrier rod will initially hang freely down from conduit 10, and the unit is pushed upwards through the opening in the false roof. During the mounting, the grille 17 is removed, and when the electrical connection at 22 has been made, the nut 31 has been tightened and the grille fitted, the unit is ready for service. If it is desireable to make any inspection or cleaning of the components it is easy to remove the grille l7, and if need be'the complete unit may be removed in short time.

Instead of the heater a cooling device may of course be fitted in installations where such heat exchangers are required, and it is evident that a heater and a cooler may be fitted within each tubular member if both kinds of heat transfer are required at different times. Any known type of locking device may be used at the end of the carrying rod, which may be substituted by a chain or like element.

What I claim is:

1. In an air conditioning unit which is attached to a substantially horizontal air distribution conduit provided with a number of downwardly directed branch openings, each opening being surrounded by a collar, said unit including a throttling device, a heat exchanger and an air distributor member the improvement comprising a hermetically sealed tubular member;

means for mounting the throttling device within one end of said tubular member to define a recess which mates with the collar of the air distribution conduit;

means for connecting one part of the air distributor member within the other end of said tubular member with another part of said distributor member extending radially outside the adjacent end portion of said tubular member;

means for attaching the heat exchanger to said air distributor member; and

a yoke engageably mounted within the air distributing conduit and at least one carrier member articulatedly attached to said yoke and having means for detachable connection to the heat exchanger. 

1. In an air conditioning unit which is attached to a substantially horizontal air distribution conduit provided with a number of downwardly directed branch openings, each opening being surrounded by a collar, said unit including a throttling device, a heat exchanger and an air distributor member the improvement comprising a hermetically sealed tubular member; means for mounting the throttling device within one end of said tubular member to define a recess which mates with the collar of the air distribution conduit; means for connecting one part of the air distributor member within the other end of said tubular member with another part of said distributor member extending radially outside the adjacent end portion of said tubular member; means for attaching the heat exchanger to said air distributor member; and a yoke engageably mounted within the air distributing conduit and at least one carrier member articulatedly attached to said yoke and having means for detachable connection to the heat exchanger. 